The Houston Texans have already battled attrition during training camp, but the bad-news trend continued on Monday, with Dylan Horton the latest to succumb.
“DE Dylan Horton is being helped off the field during team four by two trainers,” Stoots & Locker host Landry Locker posted on X on August 23, noting that the incident “happened during Team 4 when rushing the WB.”
Horton, who turned 26 on August 21, was a fourth-round pick, taken 109th overall in the 2023 draft by the Texans.
Dylan Horton Forced From Texans Practice
Horton has appeared in 39 games so far, all of the Texans’ bench, tallying 55 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 0.5 sacks.
He is part of a solid rotation on paper, led by stars Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. The group includes returning former No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney. However, Clowney and fellow 2026 signee Logan Hall have both missed multiple recent practice sessions.
Clowney’s absence has since been tied to a leg injury.
The Texans’ diminishing numbers–and at multiple positions–have come at a precarious time. The preseason finale is the last opportunity for players to make their final impressions.
The Texans also have Solomon Byrd and Dominique Robinson. However, the latter is navigating an injury issue of his own and did not practice on Monday. The time before the regular-season opener against the Bills should allow the Texans to get healthier.
That is, if they do not continue to lose players at such a high rate.
Texans Facing New Questions Behind Danielle Hunter, Will Anderson Jr.
The Texans entered this offseason with questions about their EDGE depth behind Anderson and Hunter, with Horton and fellow incumbent Solomon Byrd failing to establish themselves as top reserves.
However, all three of the Texans’ top newcomers at the position-Clowney, Hall, and Dominique Robinson–have dealt or are dealing with injuries as of Monday, August 24.
That is hardly a position the Texans want to be in as the regular-seeason approaches.
They also must trim their roster from 90 players to 53 players by August 30, and injuries added another layer of complexity to an already difficult situation, both personally and from a professional standpoint.
Unfortunately, that is the nature of the NFL and something Horton and the Texans experienced during the 2025 campaign. Surely, though, they hoped to avoid it as much as possible.
Ali Gaye is their only other DE with experience.
Texans Defensive End Forced From Practice Amid Ongoing Injury Woes